Lifting-clamp



C. D. MEALS.

LIFTING CLAMP.

APPLICAUDN mw sEPr.1s, |919.

Patented Aug. 31,1920.

2 SHEETSY-SHEET l.

C. D. MEALS.

LIFTING CLAMPl APPLIcAnoN msu SEPT. le, |919.

1 35 1 5 30. Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MII/ENTUR UNITED STATESY OASYER D. MEALS, OF TBENTON, NEW JERSEY,

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

COMPANY, 0F READING,

YPATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR T0 READING STEEL CASTING Y Application led September plates ofvaryingthicknesses can be successfully handled, the clamp automaticallyadapting itself to the thickness of the plates being handled and vthenpositively gripping the same. The invention comprehends a constructionwhich may be employed with equal facility to both horizontal andvertical lifting clamps.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a lifting clamp whichcan be manually adjusted so as to clamp and grip plates of a dierentclass or degree of thickness'and accomplish all of theaforementionedrends in a clamp which is inherently rugged, of simpledesign, and comparatively few working)parts.

ther objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds,wherein it is to be understood that changes in the precise embodimentofthe invention may be made within the seopefof what is claimed without dearting from the spirit thereof.

n the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel clamp, variouspositions of the clampingqlever being illustrated in dotted lines;

i ig. 2 is a front view in elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view .in section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a detail view of the eccentric fulcrum or pin mounting of theclamping lever taken on the line V1---4 of Fig. 3.

Fi 5 is a view in side elevation of a modied or developed form of mylifting clamp; i

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation thereof, portions of the clamp beingbroken away, illustrating the details of construction;

Fig. 7 is aV detail view of the lower end of the clamping lever; and

Fig. 8 isV a view in side elevation of a vertical clam Aembodying thecharacteristic features o my invention. i

Referringnow to the' several views, my

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

16, 1919. Serial N0. 324,103.

improved clamp is formed with a main frame l1, the same Ybeing generallyU-shape in that it is formed with the over-hanging arms 12--13 which areconnected at one extremity by the cross-piece 14. The arm 12 is formedso as to receive thereagainst the plates or other articles 15 which areto be lifted or handled, and in abutment, while the overhanging arm 13is provided with an opening 1G to which a clampin lever 17 is pivoted.

The c amping lever is formed of the two side sections 1S-18, portions ofthe same being bent in opposite directions so as to form the slot 19 inwhich the supportino' arm 13 of the clamping frame is receiver. Thesections 18--18 are held together so as to form an integral constructionby the rivets or other fastening means 20. ln this connection, note ismade that the arm 13 is reduced in thickness at'its upper extremity soas to reduce Vthe required size of the slot 19, thus lightening theentire clamp without detracting from its strength. 'The upper ei;-tremity oi' the lever is provided with the opening 21 for the reieptionof a shackle or chain which is connected to a lifting crane or otherdevice, while the lower end of the lever is provided with the cam face22, the saine being a developed eccentric curve taken in connection withpivot receiving openings 23, with which the clamping lever is provided.

ln order to materially increase the range of adjustment or action ot'the clamp and at the same time not in any way prevent the elicientgripping action thereof, I provide an eccentric pin 24, the saine beingformed with a. cylindrical body 25 which rotates within the pivotalopening 16 in the overhanging arm 13 of the clamp frame. Projecting toeach side of the cylindrical body 25 are the eccentric lugs or trunnions26 which fit within the openings 23 of the clamping lever and arefastened thereto by the keys 27, the effect of such construction beingthat as the clamping lever 17 is rotated or moved hy the action of thehoisting chain, the turning movement thereof will be imparted to theeccentric pivot 211 and through the action of the keys 27 and thetrunnions 26 the cylindrical body 25 will be rotated in the opening 16and the trunnions 26 will be accordingly raised or lowered with relationto the abutment portion 12 of effect constitutes an the clamping frame,according to the direction ol' rotation of the clamping lever. From theforegoing it will be apparent that the clamp automatically adjustsitself to the class or species oi' plates being handled; the rotationoi' the clamping lever moving the cam end thereof into engagement with aplate and causing the rigid and eliicient gripping of the plate betweenthe cam lever and the opposite abutment.

ln assembling the clamping lever to the frame the eccentric pivot 24 isFirst inserted so that the cylindrical portion 25 is located within theopening lli in the clamp frame. The two side sections of the clampinglever are then brought together so that the trunnions 2G project withinthe openings 23 in said sections and are so secured by the lugs 2T. Thetwo sei-tions are then permanently secured or fastened together by therivets 2() or other suitable fasteninT means.

F or those instances where a very large variation in the size of theplates or articles to be handled is met with, provide the arrangement asdisclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the trunnions 26 of the pivot pinare not keyed directly to the side sections lli of the clamping arms butare continued therethrough and are keyed to the indexing plates 28;these indexing plates being provided with the oppositely locatedopenings 29 which are adapted to be engaged by the latches 3H, the samebeing normally held in engagement therewith by the springs 3l., althoughit will be readily understood that any equivalent means for holding theindexing plates in position may be utilized. The openings or indexingpoints 29 being located at lSllO apart and the plates being rigidlykeyed to the trunnions 26 of the pivot piu, provide that the trunnionsmay be held in either a raised or lowered position. Thus when it isdesired to clamp and grip plates which are relatively thick, theindexing plates 29 are turned so that the trunnions 2li lit` above thcaxis oi the cylindricz l portion of the eccentric pivot, which positionoi the truunions causes the clamping lever to be raised and allows thecam face 22 of the clamping lever to engage and grip relatively thickplates. In a similar manner, when it is desired to operate the clampwith relatively thin plates, the latches 30 are moved inwardly and theindexing points 29 turned through 180". which causes the lowering of thetrunnions 2G and corresponding lowering or moving of the clamping lever17 t0- ward the abutment portion l2 of the l rame; it being understoodthat should it be so desired the plates 2S Ymay be provided withadditional indexing points.

The clamps above described are for the handling of horizontal plates andaccordingly are known as horizontal clamps. My invention, however, maybe applied with erual facility to vertical clamps such as illustrated inEig. 8, wherein the clampV is formed with the frame l5 which isV composed ot the ovcrhanging arms lll-37, the arm lo forming the abutmentand nu y be provided with the serrated face 8, while the arm 3T isprovided with the pivot-receiving opening 3l) in which extends thecylindrical portion 40 of th.nr eccentric pivot. The cccen tric pivot islormed in the manner )reviously described and includes the cylindricalportion il) and the projectingr eccentric trunnions 4l, the latter beingkeyed to, so as to be rotated by, the clamping lever -lv The clamping.lever Ll2 is formed with two .side sections permanently securedtogether by rivets or other fastening means lf-Z5, the sections beingassembled upon the eccentric pivot after the latter has been assembledin the opening 39 in the clamp frame; the clampin lever in this instanceextending over an across the clamp frame and provided with thc opening44 for the reception of the chain or shackle by which the clamp issecured to the hoisting chain. The opposite extremity ot' the clampinglever is provided with the cam face e5 which is thrust into wedgedengagement with the plate and forces the same against the oppositeabutment of the frame and accordingl f grips the same when upwardpressure is brought to hear upon the clamping lever.

Having thus described and explained my invention, l claim and desire tosecure by .Letters Patent:

l. A lifting clamp comprising a frame composed of connected overhangingarms, the one arm being formed as an abutment and the opposite armreduced in thickness and provided with a pivot opening extendingtherethrough. a clamping lover com` posed of two side sections forming aslot therebetween receiving the reduced arm within said slot, a pivotpin engaging openings provided in the side sections of said clampinglever and within the arm ol" thc frame, the lower extremity of theclamping lever provided with a cam i'acc and the opposite eitremity oi'the lever provided with means for securing it to a lifting member.

2. A device oi" the class described comprising an abutment and asupporting arm held in fixed relation thereto, a clamping member, and aneccentric pivot rotatably secured to said supporting arm and zfedlysecured to said clamping member so as to be rotated thereby and for themovement of said clamping member toward and away trom said' abutment.

3. A lifting clam) comprising a frame one portion of whici constitutesan abutment and another portion constituting a supporting arm, aclamping lever with the one extremity thereof having a cam face adaptedto cooperate with the abutment ofY the frame, and an eccentric pivotmember extending within openings Within the supporting arm and theclamping lever, said eccentric pivot rotatably connected to the one andfixedly connected to the other of said meinbers whereby the rotation ofthe clamping lever With relation to the frame moves the cani facethereof toward and away from the abutment of said frame.

4. A lifting clamp comprising a frame including an abutment and anoverhanging arm, a clamping lever provided With a cam face cooperatingwith the abutment for the gripping of articles, the remote extremity ofthe clamping lever adapted to be rotated when a lifting force is appliedto the clamp, and an eccentric pivot formed with a cylindrical portionrotatably engaging the overhanging arm of the clamp frame and eccentrictrunnions projecting from the cylindrical portion engaging the saidclamping lever adapted to support the same and to move the clampinglever toward and away from the abutment of the frame upon the rotationof said clamping lever.

5. A lifting or holding clamp comprising a frame one portion of which isformed as an abutment and the other portion as an ovcrhanging anni, saidarm being provided with an opening therein, a clamping lever providedWith a cam face adapted to cooperate with the abutment for the grippingoi' articles, means whereby said clamp lever will be rotated upon theapplication of a lifting force, said clamping lever formed of two sidesections with portions thereof bent in opposite directions to form aslot, receiving the overhanging arm of the frame therein, means forsecuring the side sections of the clamping lever together, and aneccentric pivot having a cylindrical portion rotatably engaging andfitting Within the opening in the arm of the frame, trunnions projectingfrom the central cylindrical portion of said pivot and eccentricthereto, said trunnions projecting Within openings formed in the sidesections of said clamping lever, and means whereby said trunnions arerotated by the rotation of said clamping lever.

(S. In an apparatus of tbc class described, a frame having an abutmentand an overhanging arm, a clamping member, and an eccentric pivotrotatably engaging the overhanging arm with the eccentric portions ofsaid eccentric pivot extending through openings formed in said clampingarm, and means whereby the position of the said eccentric pivot may beadjusted for given positions of said clamping lever and held in adjustedpositions.

7. An adjustable clamp comprising a frame including an abutment and anoverhanging arm, a pivot having a cylindrical portion engaging said arm,eccentric trunnions opecting from said cylindrical portion, f clampinglever mounted upon said eccentric trunnions, and means for locking saidtrunnions to said clamping lever in adjusted positions.

8. An adjustable clamp comprising a frame including an abutment and anoverhanging arm, a pivot having a cylindrical portion engaging said arm,eccentric trunnions projecting from said cylindrical portion, a clampinglever mounted upon said eccentric trunnions, and means for locking saidtrunnions to said clamping lever in adjusted positions, said clampinglever being provided with a cam face.

9. An apparatus of the class described comprising a frame including anabutment and an overhanging arm, a pivot rotatably engaging and mountedwithin an opening within said arm, said pivot provided with eccentrictrunnions projecting therefrom, a clamping lever provided with openingstherein receiving the said trunnions therethrough, means whereby theapplication of a lifting force tends to rotate said clamping lever,indexing plates secured to said trunnions, and means mounted upon saidclamping lever adapted to hold said indexing plates in adjustedpositions.

10. An apparatus of the class described comprising a frame including anabutment and an overhanging arm, a pivot rotatably engaging and mountedWithin an opening within said arm, said pivot provided with eccentrictrunnions projecting therefrom, a clamping lever provided with openingstherein receiving the said trunnions therethrough, means whereby theapplication of a lifting force tends to rotate said clamping lever,indexing plates secured to said trunnions, and means mounted upon saidclamping lever adapted to hold said indexing plates in adjustedpositions, the lower end of said clamping lever provided with a camface.

Signed at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, this12th day of September A. D. 1919.

CASPER D. MEALS.

Witnsses WILLIAM L. KERK, HERMAN J. RICHARDSON.

